At this year's annual brainstorming session for next year's Distinguished Speaker Series (DSS), tumbleweeds could be seen blowing across the floor of the HUB-Robeson Center auditorium.

No students showed. No community members showed.

Typically, the DSS brainstorming meeting draws a few dozen spectators who wish to voice their suggestions for upcoming speakers on campus.

The committee then takes the suggestions and decides which speakers they will work on getting to speak at Penn State the following year.

In past years, thousands of dollars have been spent to bring celebrities, politicians and other public figures to Penn State's auditoriums.

This year, Dr. Ruth came to discuss sexuality issues with students. CNN anchor Soledad O'Brien talked about covering the tsunami in Asia. Last year, former Minnesota Gov. Jesse Ventura spoke about student voting.

And, guess who funds these guest speakers?

That's right -- the money flies straight out of the pockets of University Park students' tuition funds to the University Park Allocation Committee (UPAC). In turn, UPAC allocates funds for DSS.

This year, the DSS committee said the reason for the student/community no-show might have been time constraints: Everyone was participating in the Interfraternity Council/Panhellenic Dance Marathon.

But the meeting was Wednesday evening, and Thon didn't start until two days later. Couldn't students take an hour out of their day to voice their opinions?

Last year, the DSS committee said the reason for the low student/community participation -- there were only about 10 people there -- might have been the weather. Or the men's basketball game.

Regardless of the reason, year after year, attendance should be higher.

After all, students are paying for these speakers.

If we have the opportunity to have a say in the speakers Penn State is recruiting, we should take it.

Penn State is one of the biggest campuses in the nation, and this gives us the power and the ability to recruit top speakers by our sheer size.

That in turn gives students innumerable opportunities to bring people to this campus who have incredible messages and numerous stories to tell. And for students, getting the chance to see certain speakers could be a once in a life time opportunity.

So whether you want to see Jessica Simpson or President George W. Bush come to campus, it's more likely to happen if students step up and suggest it.